Connector assembly and connector

Abstract

A connector assembly comprises a first connector and a second connector. The first connector comprises a first insulator and a first metal member. The first metal member has a first metal plane. The second connector comprises a second insulator and a second metal member. The second insulator has at least one insulating plane. The second metal member has a second metal plane. The first metal plane, at least in part, faces each of the second metal plane and the at least one insulating plane in a first direction under a mated state where the first connector and the second connector are mated with each other. A distance from the first metal plane to the second metal plane in the first direction is shorter than a distance from the first metal plane to the at least one insulating plane in the first direction under the mated state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A connector assembly comprising a first connector and a second connector,
 wherein: 
 the first connector is mateable with and removable from the second connector along a first direction; 
 the first connector comprises a first insulator and a first metal member; 
 the first metal member is held by the first insulator; 
 the first metal member has a first metal plane; 
 the second connector comprises a second insulator and a second metal member; 
 the second insulator has at least one insulating plane; 
 the second metal member is held by the second insulator; 
 the second metal member has a second metal plane; 
 the second metal plane is arranged adjacent to the at least one insulating plane in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; 
 the first metal plane, at least in part, faces each of the second metal plane and the at least one insulating plane in the first direction in a mated state in which the first connector and the second connector are mated with each other; 
 a distance from the first metal plane to the second metal plane in the first direction is shorter than a distance from the first metal plane to the at least one insulating plane in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the first metal plane is positioned above the second metal plane in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the second insulator has an island-like portion; 
 the second metal member further has an auxiliary held portion; 
 the auxiliary held portion extends inward in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction from a part of the second metal plane, the part of the second metal plane being an inner end of the second metal plane in the third direction; 
 the auxiliary held portion is held by the island-like portion; and 
 an upper end of the island-like portion is positioned above an upper end of the auxiliary held portion in the first direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one insulating plane includes two of the insulating planes; 
 the second metal plane is positioned between the two insulating planes in the second direction; 
 in the second direction, the first metal plane has a dimension greater than a dimension of the second metal plane; 
 the first metal plane, at least in part, faces each of the second metal plane and the two insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the connector assembly has a first distance from the first metal plane to one of the insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the connector assembly has a second distance from the first metal plane to a remaining one of the insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; and 
 the distance from the first metal plane to the second metal plane in the first direction is shorter than any of the first distance and the second distance in the mated state. 
 
     
     
       3. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein in the third direction, the first metal plane has a dimension smaller than a dimension of the second metal plane. 
     
     
       4. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first metal plane abuts against the second metal plane in the first direction when the first connector is mated with the second connector. 
     
     
       5. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first connector is partially inserted into the second connector in the first direction upon the mating of the first connector with the second connector; 
 upon the insertion of the first connector into the second connector, the first connector abuts against the second metal plane at the first metal plane in the first direction after the first connector is inserted into the second connector in the first direction beyond a point at which an insertion force of the first connector into the second connector in the first direction is maximum; and 
 the mating of the first connector with the second connector has been completed upon the abutment of the first metal plane against the second metal plane. 
 
     
     
       6. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first connector comprises at least one first terminal; 
 the first insulator holds the at least one first terminal; 
 the second connector comprises at least one second terminal; 
 the second insulator holds the at least one second terminal; and 
 upon the mating of the first connector with the second connector, a contact state between the first terminal and the second terminal is changed so that the insertion force is changed. 
 
     
     
       7. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first connector comprises at least one first terminal and at least one first additional member; 
 the first insulator holds the at least one first terminal and the at least one first additional member; 
 the second connector comprises at least one second terminal and at least one second additional member; 
 the second insulator holds the at least one second terminal and the at least one second additional member; and 
 upon the mating of the first connector with the second connector, a contact state between the first additional member and the second additional member is changed so that the insertion force is changed. 
 
     
     
       8. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first metal member has the first additional member; and 
 the second metal member has the second additional member. 
 
     
     
       9. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first connector is fixed on a first circuit board when used; 
 the second connector is fixed on a second circuit board when used; and 
 the second circuit board is different from the first circuit board. 
 
     
     
       10. A connector assembly comprising a first connector and a second connector, wherein:
 the first connector is mateable with and removable from the second connector along a first direction; 
 the first connector comprises a first insulator and a first metal member; 
 the first metal member is held by the first insulator; 
 the first metal member has a first metal plane; 
 the second connector comprises a second insulator and a second metal member; 
 the second insulator has at least one insulating plane; 
 the second metal member is held by the second insulator; 
 the second metal member has a second metal plane; 
 the second metal plane is arranged adjacent to the at least one insulating plane in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; 
 the first metal plane, at least in part, faces each of the second metal plane and the at least one insulating plane in the first direction in a mated state in which the first connector and the second connector are mated with each other; 
 a distance from the first metal plane to the second metal plane in the first direction is shorter than a distance from the first metal plane to the at least one insulating plane in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the first metal plane is positioned above the second metal plane in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the second insulator has a bottom surface portion and an island-like portion; 
 the bottom surface portion has a plate-like shape perpendicular to the first direction; 
 the bottom surface portion defines a lower end of the second insulator; 
 the island-like portion protrudes upward from the bottom surface portion; 
 the second metal plane is positioned in the vicinity of an upper end of the island-like portion; 
 the at least one insulating plane includes two of the insulating planes; 
 the second metal plane is positioned between the two insulating planes in the second direction; 
 in the second direction, the first metal plane has a dimension greater than a dimension of the second metal plane; 
 the first metal plane, at least in part, faces each of the second metal plane and the two insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the connector assembly has a first distance from the first metal plane to one of the insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the connector assembly has a second distance from the first metal plane to a remaining one of the insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; and 
 the distance from the first metal plane to the second metal plane in the first direction is shorter than any of the first distance and the second distance in the mated state. 
 
     
     
       11. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein:
 the second insulator further has two additional insulating planes; 
 the second metal plane is positioned between the two additional insulating planes in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction; 
 when the second connector is viewed along the first direction, the second metal plane is surrounded by the insulating planes and the additional insulating planes; 
 in the third direction, the first metal plane has a dimension equal to or greater than a dimension of the second metal plane; 
 the first metal plane, at least in part, faces each of the two additional insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the connector assembly has a third distance from the first metal plane to one of the additional insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; 
 the connector assembly has a fourth distance from the first metal plane to a remaining one of the additional insulating planes in the first direction in the mated state; and 
 the distance from the first metal plane to the second metal plane in the first direction is smaller than any of the third distance and the fourth distance in the mated state. 
 
     
     
       12. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the first metal plane abuts against the second metal plane in the first direction when the first connector is mated with the second connector. 
     
     
       13. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first connector is partially inserted into the second connector in the first direction upon the mating of the first connector with the second connector; 
 upon the insertion of the first connector into the second connector, the first connector abuts against the second metal plane at the first metal plane in the first direction after the first connector is inserted into the second connector in the first direction beyond a point at which an insertion force of the first connector into the second connector in the first direction is maximum; and 
 the mating of the first connector with the second connector has been completed upon the abutment of the first metal plane against the second metal plane. 
 
     
     
       14. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first connector comprises at least one first terminal; 
 the first insulator holds the at least one first terminal; 
 the second connector comprises at least one second terminal; 
 the second insulator holds the at least one second terminal; and 
 upon the mating of the first connector with the second connector, a contact state between the first terminal and the second terminal is changed so that the insertion force is changed. 
 
     
     
       15. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first connector comprises at least one first terminal and at least one first additional member; 
 the first insulator holds the at least one first terminal and the at least one first additional member; 
 the second connector comprises at least one second terminal and at least one second additional member; 
 the second insulator holds the at least one second terminal and the at least one second additional member; and 
 upon the mating of the first connector with the second connector, a contact state between the first additional member and the second additional member is changed so that the insertion force is changed. 
 
     
     
       16. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first metal member has the first additional member; and 
 the second metal member has the second additional member. 
 
     
     
       17. The connector assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first connector is fixed on a first circuit board when used; 
 the second connector is fixed on a second circuit board when used; and 
 the second circuit board is different from the first circuit board.